Leah Bobet - "Above" book launch - March 22

On March 22, Leah Bobet will be launching her first book in Toronto, Canada. I am very excited for her and will be supporting her at the launch. I hope you will join us at Hotel Ocho, 195 Spadina Avenue, Toronto. The party starts at 8pm and goes to 2am!

Leah has published several stories in publications such as Chilling Tales: Evil I Did Dwell -- Lewd Did I Live and The Year's Best Science Fiction and Fantasy for Teens: First Annual Collection.  Above will also be available in German and Portuguese (Brazilian). Please visit her site for more information about the launch, Leah, and Above! 

http://www.leahbobet.com/

Game of Thrones Season 2 - April 1, 2012 on HBO

G.O.T. (affectionate name for Game of Thrones) airs in just two weeks. 


Excited? I am!!!


I know what happens in the books, however, isn't it nice to see the characters come alive on screen? We all know that this is just one adaptation of the book and quite a good adaptation it is. G.O.T. fans are popping up everywhere. We know that even Fantasy- dismissers are hiding away in their apartments gasping in shock and grief as Eddard Stark's head falls to the ground.


Sounds dramatic, but this series has caused quite a stir, inciting people who don't really read much (EVER) to devour all five of the A Song of Ice & Fire books and wait, quite impatiently, for the sixth.


I've discovered an interesting site where you can view a lovely interpretation of the map of Westeros (the land in which the series takes place). If your computer can handle it and you can figure out the quirks, there is a informative little timeline map that you can follow:

Speculative Map of Westeros and Time Lines

 

I would like to maintain an ongoing discussion of the series as it progresses, using the comments section below (for now). I'm quite eager to hear the thoughts of other G.O.T. fans and hope that people will contribute their feedback and their questions.

Guillem H. Pongiluppe (click to see his work)

Let's start with the basic questions I've listed below. Please send me your questions and any other G.O.T. related issues you might want to discuss! Cheers!

1. For those who have read the series, did they pick the right actress to play Daenerys Targaryen?

2. Did they pick the right John Snow?

Sean Bean in Boardwalk Empire

3. Which actors/actresses do not fit your vision of the characters they have been chosen to play?

4. Do you think the second series will be as good as the first?

5. I'm so sad that Eddard Stark is gone, but am happy that he has been reincarnated as a lovely lady in  Boardwalk Empire. What say you? 

.

Go, Team Muggle!!!

It looks like fantasy books are far more influential than I thought. The fun, but extremely dangerous looking, fictional sport Quidditch, from the Harry Potter series, has come to life in the U.S. and Europe, with varsity teams and an official association. The International Quidditch Association (IQA) provides the rules to which the Quidditch teams from Leicester and Keele Universities will abiding as they face off on Saturday, March 10.

Quidditch takes off: Turning a fictional game into a real sport

Since, this is the first time I am hearing of this (yes, I must be so very sheltered) I decided to do some digging and here is what I have found:

• This thing is all over the place!
• It was created by Xander Manshel and his buddy Alex Benepe at Middlebury College, in Vermont
• You can do Summer Internships with the International Quidditch Association
• There are over 100 official teams, many of them Quite active university teams
• There are tons of game coverage clips on YouTube, AND
• People seem really into it.

Question: Am I the only one who hasn't heard of this 'til now?

OCAD's SUMO Robot Challenge 2012 - March 3, 1:30pm to 4pm, Toronto

Guys, this is pretty cool. If you register by February 27 you can be like Hugh Jackman in "the-movie-that-no-one-I-know-noticed-or-watched-in-the-theatre" (also known as Real Steel). Though, building a kick-ass robot might take a little longer than a few days.

Why don't you observe this time round and sniff out the competitors' weak spots. Next year you'll be able to dominate the ring!!!!

Read the registration and competition rules

OCAD's SUMO Robot Challenge 2012 - March 3

GAME OF THRONES SEASON 2, airs this April!!!

 

BYOB, conventioners! A Convention you can attend from home!

If you're not doing much this weekend, check out Dot Con 2012, a convention that you can enjoy from your computer!

 The convention's guest panel will feature various "nerdy" Hollywood types, including actors, producers and screenwriter from some of our favourite show and films. On Saturday and Sunday, you can experience interactive ice cream making, listen to some bands and watch a movie with other attendees!!!!

Check it out (http://dotconfest.com) and let me know your thoughts!

Choystar